Wiki's in Education 21st-Century students are engaged with Technology (2005) and Technological devices. They have Technology Knowledge ((2009) and are in our classrooms to learn the content that teachers are passionate about. The question is, how are teachers able to engage 21st-Century Learners? Especially when 21st-Century Learners have been surrounded all their lives with digital devices capable of communicating instantly with their peers (2001). Wiki's are able to engage 21st-Century Learners as well as keep them in communication with their peers and others on an internal Intranet or global Internet.
Wiki's are a collective of knowledge, opinions and feedback. They promote cooperation, collaboration and controversy amongst those who operate within it (2007). Teachers and students are able to jointly work together to share ideas in the collaborative setting (2006).
Wiki's in Senior Graphics Subject: Senior Graphics, QSA Syllabus (2007) Contextual unit: Production Graphics – 12 weeks Industry context: Transport Product focus: A-Type Razor Scooter Target audience: Manufacturer Purpose: A manufacturer needs a set of drawings to manufacture the A-Type Razor Scooter Assessment Item: Context-Based Folio to contain both 2-Dimensional & 3-Dimensional Graphical Representations
Students are required to sketch components of an A-Type Razor Scooter and gather all relevant information about it so that they can draw the scooter in a CAD program and prepare drawings for a manufacturing company to use. A wiki is the ideal place for students to work collaboratively on gathering this information and publishing it in the one spot for all to access. Students are then able to share their knowledge as they will not all need to reproduce the same part or component. There may be small groups of students each working on reverse engineering the same component and then they each share their ideas with the class.
Once all information of each of the components has been gathers, students are then able to move on to the planning stage of the drawings required for a manufacturer. Students are able to brainstorm, gather information on specific topics that they have strengths or interest in and share that with the class. Students are encouraged to comment on each others components and ideas in order to produce the most appropriate and acceptable drawings for a manufacturer.
There is also scope for existing manufacturers to join in the wiki and participate by commenting on students ideas and work, as well as past students and current University Engineering students to assist in the collaboration of learning. For this to be realistic and effective, the wiki would need to be public.
Public or Private?
There is some debate over whether the use of wiki's in Education should be public or private Guth (2007). While public certainly has evidence that students will participate more and be more conscious of the published comments and work, there is also teachers duty of care to keep students safe and must follow the Code of Conduct (n.d.). The Code of Conduct very clearly states that teachers must not have electronic communication with students via social networking sites such as facebook and youtube. It also states that teachers may only communicate with students via an EQ email address. With this information clearly stated it would be unwise to go outside of The Learning Place, a secure Virtual Classroom where a wiki can be in place, and put the student at risk of harm, or putting the teacher in breach of the code of conduct. This security will hinder the published collaborative nature of a wiki that would promote engagement of students in a real world context.
Journal References Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1), 60-70. Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants Part 1. On the Horizon Vol. 9 No 5.
Prensky, M. (2005). Engage Me or Enrage Me: What Today's Learners Demand. Educause. September/October 2005.
Parker, K. & Chao, J. (2007). Wiki as a Teaching Tool. Interdisciplinary Journal of Knowledge and Learning Objects. Vol 3, 2007
21st-Century students are engaged with Technology (2005) and Technological devices. They have Technology Knowledge ((2009) and are in our classrooms to learn the content that teachers are passionate about. The question is, how are teachers able to engage 21st-Century Learners? Especially when 21st-Century Learners have been surrounded all their lives with digital devices capable of communicating instantly with their peers (2001). Wiki's are able to engage 21st-Century Learners as well as keep them in communication with their peers and others on an internal Intranet or global Internet.
Wiki's are a collective of knowledge, opinions and feedback. They promote cooperation, collaboration and controversy amongst those who operate within it (2007). Teachers and students are able to jointly work together to share ideas in the collaborative setting (2006).
Wiki's in Senior Graphics
Subject: Senior Graphics, QSA Syllabus (2007)
Contextual unit: Production Graphics – 12 weeks
Industry context: Transport
Product focus: A-Type Razor Scooter
Target audience: Manufacturer
Purpose: A manufacturer needs a set of drawings to manufacture the A-Type Razor Scooter
Assessment Item: Context-Based Folio to contain both 2-Dimensional & 3-Dimensional Graphical Representations
Students are required to sketch components of an A-Type Razor Scooter and gather all relevant information about it so that they can draw the scooter in a CAD program and prepare drawings for a manufacturing company to use. A wiki is the ideal place for students to work collaboratively on gathering this information and publishing it in the one spot for all to access. Students are then able to share their knowledge as they will not all need to reproduce the same part or component. There may be small groups of students each working on reverse engineering the same component and then they each share their ideas with the class.
Once all information of each of the components has been gathers, students are then able to move on to the planning stage of the drawings required for a manufacturer. Students are able to brainstorm, gather information on specific topics that they have strengths or interest in and share that with the class. Students are encouraged to comment on each others components and ideas in order to produce the most appropriate and acceptable drawings for a manufacturer.
There is also scope for existing manufacturers to join in the wiki and participate by commenting on students ideas and work, as well as past students and current University Engineering students to assist in the collaboration of learning. For this to be realistic and effective, the wiki would need to be public.
Public or Private?
There is some debate over whether the use of wiki's in Education should be public or private Guth (2007). While public certainly has evidence that students will participate more and be more conscious of the published comments and work, there is also teachers duty of care to keep students safe and must follow the Code of Conduct (n.d.). The Code of Conduct very clearly states that teachers must not have electronic communication with students via social networking sites such as facebook and youtube. It also states that teachers may only communicate with students via an EQ email address. With this information clearly stated it would be unwise to go outside of The Learning Place, a secure Virtual Classroom where a wiki can be in place, and put the student at risk of harm, or putting the teacher in breach of the code of conduct. This security will hinder the published collaborative nature of a wiki that would promote engagement of students in a real world context.
Journal References
Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1), 60-70.
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants Part 1. On the Horizon Vol. 9 No 5.
Prensky, M. (2005). Engage Me or Enrage Me: What Today's Learners Demand. Educause. September/October 2005.
Parker, K. & Chao, J. (2007). Wiki as a Teaching Tool. Interdisciplinary Journal of Knowledge and Learning Objects. Vol 3, 2007
Electronic References
Guth, S. (2007). Wikis in Education: Is Public Better? Retrieved from http://www.citeulike.org/user/dukken/article/2150799
Lund, A. & Smordal, O. (2006). Is There a Space for the Teacher in a Wiki? Retrieved from http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1149466
Government & Legislation References
Education Queensland (EQ). (n.d.). Code of Conduct. Retrieved from http://education.qld.gov.au/corporate/codeofconduct/respect_for_persons.html
Queensland Studies Authority (QSA). (2007). Graphics: Years 11&12 Senior Syllabus. Retrieved from http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/downloads/senior/snr_graphics_07_syll.pdf